Photo: Hemmings
Its styling isn't to everyone's taste, but every muscle car fan should at least be able to recognize "Eleanor". We're talking about the iconic movie car from the 2000 blockbuster Gone in 60 Seconds.
Nicolas Cage has shot many movies, some good, some terrible. Nowadays, he looks like a Florida retiree version of the A-lister he once was, and we often wonder if he likes golf. A convertible would then be right up his alley. Maybe even a convertible Eleanor?
In the movie, Eleanor was the golden goose, the greatest prize to be stolen. The plot said this was a highly customized Ford Shelby GT500. However, the 11 pro cars they actually made were based on far cheaper fastbacks from the 1967 or 68 model year.
We're not going to lie; Chip Foose's design seemed like the perfect mix of modern muscle car and hot rod at the time. However, it doesn't seem right for a classic Mustang to have bumpers like that. That being said, a convertible Eleanor doesn't have bad and comes with entertainment value baked in.
Over the years, a whole industry has been created around making replicas for people to own. For it to be a true Eleanor, it has to be sanction, and there are indeed such convertibles, but this probably isn't one of them, which explains why Gone in 60 Seconds or Eleanor aren't mentioned outright by the Hemmings seller.
Even so, there are plenty of obvious Eleanor hints, like the modern-looking bumper with a GT350R-like grille in the middle and a couple of extra lights. The replica also has that pointy nose and power dome in the hood. Dark silver paint with stripes ties it all together.
Of course, there are elements that are not accurate as well. For example, the black 19-inch American Racing wheels aren't quite up to Foose design standards, and there's no side exhaust system, though I believe some licensed replicas drop this configuration anyway.
We're not disciplined with what's under the hood, though. Whatever Windsor was under there originally has been replaced with a Ford Coyote Gen II 5.0-liter DOHC V8 crate engine making 428 horsepower. The suspension looks good and so do the slotted Wilwood brakes. Honestly, the only thing we hate is that saggy top. It would be interesting to see this with speedster humps or a hoop instead.
In the movie, Eleanor was the golden goose, the greatest prize to be stolen. The plot said this was a highly customized Ford Shelby GT500. However, the 11 pro cars they actually made were based on far cheaper fastbacks from the 1967 or 68 model year.
We're not going to lie; Chip Foose's design seemed like the perfect mix of modern muscle car and hot rod at the time. However, it doesn't seem right for a classic Mustang to have bumpers like that. That being said, a convertible Eleanor doesn't have bad and comes with entertainment value baked in.
Over the years, a whole industry has been created around making replicas for people to own. For it to be a true Eleanor, it has to be sanction, and there are indeed such convertibles, but this probably isn't one of them, which explains why Gone in 60 Seconds or Eleanor aren't mentioned outright by the Hemmings seller.
Even so, there are plenty of obvious Eleanor hints, like the modern-looking bumper with a GT350R-like grille in the middle and a couple of extra lights. The replica also has that pointy nose and power dome in the hood. Dark silver paint with stripes ties it all together.
Of course, there are elements that are not accurate as well. For example, the black 19-inch American Racing wheels aren't quite up to Foose design standards, and there's no side exhaust system, though I believe some licensed replicas drop this configuration anyway.
We're not disciplined with what's under the hood, though. Whatever Windsor was under there originally has been replaced with a Ford Coyote Gen II 5.0-liter DOHC V8 crate engine making 428 horsepower. The suspension looks good and so do the slotted Wilwood brakes. Honestly, the only thing we hate is that saggy top. It would be interesting to see this with speedster humps or a hoop instead.
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